Sermons and Discourses Volume 1, Sermon 6

Sermons and Discourses Volume 1 · Sermon 6

p. 2131 JOHN. 5.3.

—And his commandments are not grievous.

ONE of the great prejudices which men have entertain'd againſt the Chriſtian Religion is this, that it lays upon men heavy burdens and grievous to be born, that the Laws of it are very ſtrict and ſevere, difficult to be kept and yet dangerous to be broken; That it requires us to govern and keep under our paſſions, and to contradict many times our ſtrongeſt inclinations and deſires, to cut off our right hand and to pluck out our right eye, to love cur enemies, to bleſs them that curſe us, to do good to them that hate us and to pray for them that deſpitefully uſe us and perſecute us; to forgive the greateſt injuries p. 214that are done to us, and to make reparation for the leaſt that we do to others; to be contented with our condition patient under ſufferings, and ready to ſacrifice our deareſt intereſts in this world, and even our very lives, in the cauſe of God and Religion: All theſe ſeem to be hard ſayings and grievous commandments.

For the removal of this prejudice I have choſen theſe words of the Apoſtle, which expreſly tells us the contrary, that the commandments of God are not grievous.

And though this be a great truth if it be impartially conſider'd, yet it is alſo a great paradox to men of corrupt minds and vicious practices, who are prejudic'd againſt Religion and the holy Laws of God by their intereſt and their luſts. This ſeems a ſtrange propoſition to thoſe who look upon Religion at a diſtance and never try'd the experiment of a holy life, who meaſure the Laws of God not by the intrinſecal goodneſs and equity of them, but by the reluctancy and oppoſition which they find in their own hearts againſt them.

Upon this account it will be requiſite to take ſome pains to ſatisfie the reaſon of men concerning this truth and if it be poſſible p. 215to make it ſo evident that thoſe who are unwilling to own it may yet be aſham'd to deny it. And methinks I have this peculiar advantage in the argument I have now undertaken that every reaſonable man cannot chuſe but wiſh me ſucceſs in this attempt, becauſe I undertake the proof of that which it is every man's intereſt that it ſhould be true: And if I can make it out, this pretence againſt Religion will not onelyonly be baffled but we ſhall gain a new and forcible argument to perſwade men over to it.

Now the eaſineſs or difficulty of the obſervation of any Laws or commands depends chiefly upon theſe three things.

Firſt, Upon the Nature of the Laws themſelves and their ſuitableneſs or unſuitableneſs to thoſe to whom they are given.

Secondly, Upon the ability or weakneſs of thoſe on whom theſe Laws are impos'd for the keeping of them. For eaſineſs and difficulty are relative terms and refer to ſome power, and a thing may be difficult to a weak man which yet may be eaſie to the ſame perſon when aſſiſted with a greater ſtrength.

Thirdly, Upon the encouragement that p. 216is given to the obſervation of them. For the propoſal of great rewards does very much qualifie and allay the difficulty of any undertaking.

Now if I can make theſe three things evident: 1. That the Laws of God are reaſonable, that is, ſuitable to our nature and advantageous to our intereſt. 2. That we are not deſtitute of ſufficient power and ability for the performance of them. And, 3. That we have the greateſt encouragements to this purpoſe: Then have we all imaginable reaſon to aſſent to the truth of this Propoſition that the commandments of God are not grievous.

1. The Laws of God are reaſonable, that is, ſuitable to our nature and advantageous to our intereſt. 'Tis true God hath a ſoveraign right over us as we are his creatures, and by virtue of this right he might without injuſtice have impos'd difficult tasks upon us and have requir'd hard things at our hands. But in making Laws for us he hath not made uſe of this right. He hath commanded us nothing in the Goſpel that is either unſuitable to our reaſon, or prejudicial to our intereſt; nay, nothing that is ſevere and againſt the grain of our nature, but when either the apparent p. 217neceſſity of our intereſt does require it, or an extraordinary reward is promis'd to our obedience. He hath ſhew'd thee, O man what is good, and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to do juſtly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? This is the ſum of the natural Law, that we ſhould behave our ſelves reverently and obediently towards the Divine Majeſty, and juſtly and charitably towards men; and that in order to the ſitting of us for the better diſcharge of theſe duties, we ſhould govern our ſelves in the uſe of ſenſual delights with temperance and moderation. And if we go over the Laws of Chriſtianity, we ſhall find that, excepting a very few particulars, they enjoyn the very ſame things; onelyonly they have made our duty more clear and certain. But this I have had occaſion to make out largely in the foregoing diſcourſe, and therefore I ſhall ſay the leſs to it now.

As to the ſeveral parts of God's worſhip and ſervice, prayer and thankſgiving, hearing and reading the word of God, and receiving of the Sacrament; theſe are all no leſs for our own comfort and advantage than for the honour of God and Religion. And there is nothing of difficulty p. 218or trouble in the external performance of them, but what hypocriſie can make tolerable to it ſelf: And certainly they muſt be not onelyonly much more eaſie, but even delightfull, when they are directed by our underſtandings, and accompanied with our hearts and affections.

As for thoſe Laws of Religion which concern our duty to our ſelves, as temperance and chaſtity; or to others, as the ſeveral branches of juſtice and charity, comprehended in thoſe general rules, of loving our neighbour as our ſelves, and of doing to others as we would have them to do to us: There is nothing in all theſe Laws but what is moſt reaſonable and fit to be done by us, nothing but what if we were to conſult our own intereſt and happineſs, and did rightly underſtand our ſelves, we would chuſe for our ſelves; nothing but what is eaſie to be underſtood, and as eaſie to be practis'd by an honeſt and a willing mind.

Now the practice of all theſe is ſuitable to our nature, and agreeable to the frame of our underſtandings; proper to our condition and circumſtances in this world, and preparatory to our happineſs in the next. And no man's reaſon did ever dictate to him the contrary of any of theſe; that it is p. 219fit for a Creature not to love God, to be undutifull to his great Soveraign, and ungratefull to his beſt benefactor; that it is reaſonable for a man to debauch himſelf by intemperance and brutiſh ſenſuality; to hate, defraud and oppreſs other men. Our very natural reaſon, if we will but liſten to the dictates of it, is an enemy to all theſe ſins and a law againſt all theſe vices.

And as the practice of all piety and vertue is agreeable to our reaſon, ſo is it likewiſe for the intereſt of mankind; both of private perſons, and of publick Societies, as I have already ſhown. Some vertues plainly tend to the preſervation of our health, others to the improvement and ſecurity of our eſtates, all to the peace and quiet of our minds; and which is ſomewhat more ſtrange, to the advancement of our eſteem and reputation; for though the world be generally bad, and men are apt to approve nothing ſo much as what they do themſelves; yet, I know not how it comes to paſs, men are commonly ſo juſt to vertue and goodneſs, as to praiſe it in others even when they do not practiſe it themſelves.

And as for thoſe precepts of Chriſtianity which ſeem to be moſt harſh and difficult p. 220at firſt appearance, (as repentance and reſtitution, mortification of our luſts and paſſions, humility, patience and contentedneſs with our condition, and reſignation of our ſelves to the will of God; forgiving and loving our enemies, and ſelf-denial for the cauſe of God and Religion) if we look well into them and conſider throughly the nature and tendency of them, even theſe will appear to be both reaſonable in themſelves, and upon one account or other really for our advantage.

What more reaſonable than repentance, than that a man when he hath done amiſs and contrary to his duty ſhould be heartily ſorry for it, and reſolve to do ſo no more? And how grievous ſoever it be, it is neceſſary, being the onelyonly way to pardon and peace. And in caſe our offence againſt God hath been complicated with injury to men, it is but reaſonable we ſhould make reſtitution as far as we are able, according to the nature of the injury. For without this our repentance is not real, becauſe we have not done what we can to undo our fault as much as we can, or at leaſt to hinder the injurious conſequences of it from proceeding any farther: Nor can any man be judg'd p. 221to be truly ſorry for his ſin that retains the profit and advantages of it to himſelf. Beſides, that till reparation be made to the utmoſt of our power we can have no peace in our own conſciences, nor any well-grounded hopes of forgiveneſs from God.

Mortification of our luſts and paſſions, though, like repentance, it have ſomething in it that is troubleſome, yet nothing that is unreaſonable, or really to our prejudice. If we give way to our Paſſions, we do but gratifie our ſelves for the preſent in order to our future diſquiet; but if we reſiſt and conquer them, we lay the foundation of perpetual peace and tranquillity in our minds. If we govern our ſelves in the uſe of ſenſual delights by the Laws of God and reaſon, we ſhall find our ſelves more at eaſe than if we ſhould let looſe the reins to our appetites and luſts. For the more we gratifie our luſts the more craving they will be, and the more impatient of denial. Creſcit indulgens ſibi dirus hydrops, every luſt is a kind of hydropick diſtemper, and the more we drink the more we ſhall thirſt. So that by retrenching our inordinate deſires we do not rob our ſelves of any true pleaſure, but onelyonly prevent the pain and trouble of farther diſſatisfaction.

p. 222Humility, though it may ſeem to expoſe a man to ſome contempt, yet it is truly the readieſt way to honour: as on the contrary, pride is a moſt improper and abſurd means for the accompliſhing of the end it aims at. All other vices do in ſome meaſure attain their end; covetouſneſs does uſually raiſe an eſtate, and ambitious endeavours do often advance men to high places; but pride and inſolence and contempt of others do infallibly defeat their own deſign. They aim at reſpect and eſteem but never attain it, for all mankind do naturally hate and ſlight a proud man.

What more reaſonable than patience and contentedneſs, and that we ſhould in all things reſign up our ſelves to the will of God, who loves us as well as we do our ſelves, and knows what is good for us better than we do our ſelves? this certainly is the beſt way to prevent anxiety and perplexity of mind, and to make the worſt condition as tolerable as it can be, and much more eaſie than it would be otherwiſe.

As for that peculiar Law of Chriſtianity which forbids revenge, and commands us to forgive injuries and to love our enemies, no man can think it grievous who conſiders the pleaſure and ſweetneſs of love and the glorious victory of overcoming p. 223evil with good, and then compares theſe with the reſtleſs torment and perpetual tumults of a malicious and revengeful ſpirit.

And laſtly, Self-denyal for the cauſe of God and Religion; this is neither unreaſonable nor to our diſadvantage. If we conſider our infinite obligations to God, we have no reaſon to think much to ſacrifice to him our deareſt intereſts in this world; eſpecially if we conſider withall, how diſproportionably great the reward of our ſufferings ſhall be in another world. Beſides that the intereſt of Religion is of ſo great concernment to the happineſs of mankind, that every man is bound for that reaſon to aſſert the truth of it with the hazard of any thing that is moſt valuable to him in this world.

II. We are not deſtitute of ſufficient power and ſtrength for the performing of God's commands. Had God given us Laws but no power to keep them, his commandments would then indeed have been grievous. 'Tis true we have contracted a great deal of weakneſs and impotency by our wilfull degeneracy from goodneſs, but that grace which the Goſpel offers to us for our aſſiſtance is ſufficient for us. And this ſeems to be the particular p. 224reaſon why the Apoſtle ſays here in the Text that his commandments are not grievous, becauſe he offers us an aſſiſtance proportionable to the difficulty of his commands, and the neceſſity of our condition: for it follows immediately after the Text, for whoſoever is born of God, overcometh the world. Therefore the commandments of God are not grievous, becauſe every Child of God, that is, every Chriſtian is endued with a power whereby he is enabled to reſiſt and conquer the temptations of the world. The ſame Apoſtle elſewhere encourages Chriſtians upon the ſame conſideration, greater is he that is in you, 1 Joh. 4.4.1 John 4:4than he that is in the world. Though we be encompaſs'd with many and potent enemies who make it their buſineſs to tempt and to deter us from our duty, yet our caſe is not hard ſo long as we have a greater ſtrength on our ſide: And this the Apoſtle tells us is the caſe of every Chriſtian, greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Are there legions of Devils who are continually deſigning and working our ruine? there are alſo myriads of good Angels who are more chearfull and officious to do us good. For I doubt not, but as thoſe who are bent to do wickedly will never p. 225want tempters to urge them on and to puſh them forward in an evil courſe; ſo on the other hand, thoſe who apply themſelves ſeriouſly to the buſineſs of Religion, and yield themſelves tractable to good motions, will find the good ſpirit of God more ready and active to encourage them than the Devil can be to pull them back; unleſs we think that God hath given a greater power and a larger commiſſion to the Devil to do men miſchief, than to his holy Spirits and his holy Angels for our aſſiſtance and encouragement. But then we are to underſtand that this aſſiſtance is onelyonly offer'd to men, and not forc'd upon them whether they will or no. For if we beg God's grace but neglect to make uſe of it, if we implore his aſſiſtance for the mortifying of our luſts but will not contribute our own endeavours, God will withdraw his grace and take away his holy Spirit from us. Nay, if after we have begun well we do notoriouſly ſlacken our endeavours, we forfeit the Divine aſſiſtance: If when by God's grace we have in a good meaſure conquer'd the firſt difficulties of Religion, and gain'd ſome habitual ſtrength againſt ſin; if after this we grow careleſs and remiſs, and neglect our guard, and lay our ſelves open to temptations, p. 226God's Spirit will not always ſtrive with us: Notwithſtanding all the promiſes of the Goſpel and the mighty aſſiſtances there offer'd to us, if we love any luſt, and will with Sampſon lay our head in Dalilah's lap, we ſhall be inſenſibly robb'd of our ſtrength and become like other men.

III. We have the greateſt encouragement to the obſervance of God's commands. Two things make any courſe of life eaſie; preſent pleaſure, and the aſſurance of a future reward. Religion gives part of its reward in hand, the preſent comfort and ſatisfaction of having done our duty; and for the reſt, it offers us the beſt ſecurity that Heaven can give. Now theſe two muſt needs make our duty very eaſie; a conſiderable reward in hand, and not onelyonly the hopes but the aſſurance of a far greater recompence hereafter.

1. Preſent peace and ſatisfaction of mind, and unexpreſſible joy and pleaſure flowing from the teſtimony of a good conſcience. This is preſent payment, beſides that it is the earneſt of a future and greater happineſs. And this does naturally ſpring up in the mind of a good man; great p. 227peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing ſhall offend them. All Acts of piety and vertue are not onelyonly delightful for the preſent, but they leave peace and contentment behind them: a peace that no outward violence can interrupt or take from us. The pleaſures of a holy life have moreover this peculiar advantage of all worldly joys, that we ſhall never be weary of them; we cannot be cloy'd by the frequent repetition of theſe pleaſures, nor by the long enjoyment of them. I know that ſome vices pretend to bring great pleaſure along with them, and that the delights of a ſenſual and voluptuous life make a glorious ſhow and are attended with much pomp and noiſe, like the ſports of children and fools which are loud and clamorous; or, as Solomon elegantly compares them, like the crackling of thorns under a pot, which makes a little noiſe and a ſudden blaze that is preſently over. But the ſerious and the manly pleaſures, the ſolid and ſubſtantial joys, are onelyonly to be found in the ways of Religion and Vertue. The moſt ſenſual man that ever was in the world never felt his heart touch'd with ſo delicious and laſting a pleaſure as that is which ſprings from a clear conſcience, and a mind fully ſatisfied with its own actions.

p. 2282. But the great encouragement of all is the aſſurance of a future reward. The firm perſwaſion whereof is enough to raiſe us above any thing in this world, and to animate us with courage and reſolution againſt the greateſt difficulties. So the Apoſtle reaſons; His commandments are not grievous; for whatſoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith. The belief of a future happineſs and glory was that which made the primitive Chriſtians ſo victorious over the world, and gave them the courage to reſiſt all the pleaſures and terrors of Senſe. It cannot be deny'd, but that a religious courſe of life is liable to be incumbred with many difficulties which are naturally grievous to fleſh and blood. But a Chriſtian is able to comfort himſelf under all theſe with the thoughts of his end, which is everlaſting life. He conſiders the goodneſs of God which he believes would not deny him the free enjoyment of the things of this world, were it not that he hath ſuch joys and pleaſures in ſtore for him as will abundantly recompence his preſent ſelf denial and ſufferings.

Let us now put both theſe together, the pleaſures of Religion and the rewards of it, and they cannot but appear to be a p. 229mighty encouragement. With what pleaſures does a man that lives a holy and a vertuous life deſpiſe the pleaſures of ſin, and notwithſtanding all the allurements of ſenſe perſiſt reſolutely in his courſe? And how is ſuch a man confirm'd in his purpoſe and animated in his holy reſolution, when he finds that God and his own conſcience do applaud his choice; when all along in the courſe of Religion and a vertuous life, in his conflicts with ſin and reſiſtance of temptations, he hath for his preſent reward the two great pleaſures of innocence and of victory, and for his future encouragement the joyful hopes of a Crown and a Kingdom? A recompence ſo great, as is ſufficient to make a lame man walk, enough to make any one willing to offer violence to his ſtrongeſt paſſions and inclinations. A man would be content to ſtrive with himſelf and to conflict with great difficulties, in hopes of a mighty reward. What poor man would not cheerfully carry a great burthen of gold and ſilver, that were aſſur'd to have the greateſt ſhare of it for his pains, and thereby to be made a man for ever? Whatever difficulties Religion is attended withall they are all ſweeten'd and made eaſie by the propoſal of a great and eternal reward.

p. 230But are there no difficulties then in Religion? Is every thing ſo plain and eaſie? Are all the ways of vertue ſo ſmooth and even as we have here repreſented them? Hath not our Saviour told us,Mat 7.14.Matt 7:14 that ſtrait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it? Act. 14.22.Acts 14:22Does not the Apoſtle ſay, that through much tributation we muſt enter into the Kingdom of God? 2 Tim 3.12.2 Tim 3:12And, that all that will live Godly in Chriſt Ieſus ſhall ſuffer perſecution? And does not the Scripture every where ſpeak of ſtriving and wreſtling, and running, and fighting; of labouring, and watching, and giving all diligence? And is there nothing grievous in all this?

This is a very material objection, and therefore I ſhall be the more carefull to give a ſatisfactory anſwer to it. And that I may do it the more diſtinctly be pleas'd to conſider theſe ſix things. 1. That the ſuffering of perſecution for Religion is an extraordinary caſe, which did chiefly concern the firſt Ages of Chriſtianity. 2. That this diſcourſe concerning the eaſineſs of God's commands does all along ſuppoſe and acknowledge the difficulties of the entrance upon a Religious courſe. 3. Nor is there any reaſon it ſhould exclude our after care and diligence. 4. All the difficulties of Religion are very much mitigated p. 231and allayed by hope and by love. 5. There is incomparably more difficulty and trouble in the ways of ſin and vice than in the ways of Religion and Vertue. 6. If we do but put vertue and vice, a religious and a wicked courſe of life in equal circumſtances; if we will but ſuppoſe a man as much accuſtom'd and inur'd to the one as he has been to the other, then I ſhall not doubt to pronounce that the advantages of eaſe and pleaſure will be found to be on the ſide of Religion.

I. The ſuffering of perſecution for Religion is an extraordinary caſe, and did chiefly concern the firſt Ages of Chriſtianity. And therefore the general ſayings of our Saviour and his Apoſtles concerning the perſecuted ſtate of Chriſtians are to be limited, as doubtleſs they were intended, principally to thoſe firſt times and by no means to be equally extended to all Ages of the Church. At firſt indeed whoever embrac'd the profeſſion of Chriſtianity did thereby expoſe themſelves to all the ſufferings which the power and malice of the world could afflict them withall: But ſince the Kingdoms of the Earth became the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Chriſt, and the Governours of the world began to be Patrons of the Church, 'tis ſo far from being univerſally p. 232true that every Chriſtian hath ſuffer'd the violence of perſecution, that it hath been a rare caſe and happen'd onelyonly in ſome few ages, and to ſome perſons. So that this is accidental to a ſtate of Religion, and therefore ought not to be reckon'd among the ordinary difficulties of it. And when it happens God gives extraordinary ſupports, and promiſes mighty rewards to make it tolerable.

II. This diſcourſe concerning the eaſineſs of God's commands does all along ſuppoſe and acknowledge the difficulties of the firſt entrance upon a religious courſe, except onelyonly in thoſe perſons who have had the happineſs to be train'd up to Religion by the eaſie and inſenſible degrees of a pious and vertuous education. Theſe indeed are freed from a great deal of pains and difficulty which others who are reclaim'd from a bad courſe of life muſt expect to undergo. They are in a great meaſure excuſed from the pangs of the new birth, from the pains of a ſudden and violent change, from the terrours of an affrighted mind, and from the deep and piercing ſorrows of a more ſolemn repentance. Whereas thoſe who have lived wickedly before muſt look to meet with a great deal more trouble, becauſe they are put upon changing the whole courſe p. 233of their life at once, and muſt contend with inveterate habits, and offer no ſmall violence to themſelves in plucking up thoſe vices which have been rooted in them by long cuſtome and continuance. This indeed is grievous and muſt needs be ſenſibly painfull, like the plucking out of a right eye, or the cutting off a right hand: For in this caſe a man muſt ſtrive againſt the very bent and inclination of his ſtrongeſt appetites, againſt the tyranny of cuſtome and the mighty power of a ſecond nature. But this is no juſt reflection upon religion, becauſe this does not proceed from the nature of God's laws but from an accidental indiſpoſition in our ſelves, which Religion is apt to remove: And if we will but allow ſome time of trouble and uneaſineſs for the cure, when that is once wrought the commands of God will be more eaſie and delightfull to us than ever our ſins and luſts were.

III. Nor does this exclude our after care and diligence. For when the Apoſtle ſays that the commandments of God are not grievous, he does by no means intend to inſinuate that they are calculated for ſlothfull and lazy perſons, that they are ſo eaſy as to require no induſtry and endeavour on our part; he onelyonly aims to prevent a tacit objection which lies at the bottom p. 234of many mens hearts, as if Religion were a moſt grievous and intolerable burthen, and there were more trouble and leſs pleaſure in it than in any other action of humane life. This he utterly denies, but does not hereby intend to exclude ſuch diligence and induſtry as men uſe about other matters. And if I ſhould tell you, that the buſineſs of Religion does not require a very vigorous proſecution and great earneſtneſs of endeavour, I ſhall ſpeak quite beſides the holy Scriptures which ſo frequently command ſeeking and ſtriving and labouring, beſides many other ſuch phraſes that import diligence and earneſtneſs. And indeed it were unfit that ſo excellent and glorious a reward as the Goſpel promiſes ſhould ſtoop down like fruit upon a full-laden bough to be pluck'd by every idle and wanton hand; that Heaven ſhould be proſtituted to the lazy deſires and faint wiſhes, to the cheap and ordinary endeavours of ſlothfull men. God will not ſo much diſparage eternal life and happineſs, as to beſtow it upon thoſe who have conceived ſo low an opinion of it as not to think it worth the labouring for. And ſurely this is ſufficient to recommend Religion to any conſiderate man, if the advantages of it be much greater than of any worldly deſign that we can propound p. 235to our ſelves, and the difficulties of it not greater. If the ſame ſeriouſneſs and induſtry of endeavour, which men commonly uſe to raiſe a fortune and advance themſelves in the world, will ſerve to make a man a good man and to bring him to Heaven, what reaſon hath any man to complain of the hard terms of Religion? And I think I may truly ſay that uſually leſs than this does it. For God conſiders our condition in this world and the preſſing neceſſities of this life, that we are fleſh as well as ſpirit and that we have great need of theſe things, and therefore he allows us to be very ſedulous and induſtrious about them. However this I am ſure of, that if men would be as ſerious to ſave their immortal ſouls as they are to ſupport theſe dying bodies; if they would but provide for eternity with the ſame ſollicitude and real care as they do for this life; if they would but ſeek Heaven with the ſame ardour of affection, and vigour of proſecution as they ſeek earthly things; if they would but love God as much as many men do the World, and mind godlineſs as much as men uſually do gain; if they would but go to Church with as good a will as men ordinarily do to their Markets and Fairs, and be in as good earneſt at their devotions as men commonly are in driving p. 236a bargain; if they would but endure ſome troubles and inconveniences in the ways of Religion with the ſame patience and conſtancy as they can do ſtorms, and foul ways and miſchances, when they are travelling about their worldly occaſions; If they would but avoid bad company as men uſe to do cheaters, and reject the temptations of the devil and the world as they would do the kind words and inſinuations of a man whom they verily believe to have a deſign to over-reach them; I am confident that ſuch a one could not fail of Heaven, and would be much ſurer of it upon theſe terms, than any man that doth all the other things could be of getting an eſtate, or of attaining any thing in this world.

And cannot every man do thus much? All that I have ſaid ſignifies no more but that men ſhould uſe their ſincere endeavours, and this ſurely every man can do. For to uſe our ſincere endeavours is nothing elſe but to do as much as we can, and it is non-ſenſe for any man to deny that he can do as much as he can. And if we would do thus much we are ſure of God's grace and aſſiſtance, which is never wanting to the ſincere endeavours of men. But men expect that Religion ſhould coſt them no pains, that happineſs ſhould drop into their p. 237laps without any deſign and endeavour on their part, and that after they have done what they pleaſe while they live God ſhould ſnatch them up to Heaven when they dye. But though the commandments of God be not grievous, yet it is ſit to let men know that they are not thus eaſie.

IV. All the difficulties of Religion are very much allay'd and ſweeten'd by hope and by love. By the hopes of a mighty reward; ſo great as is enough to raiſe us above our ſelves, and to make us break through all difficulties and diſcouragements: And by the love of God, who hath taken all imaginable ways to endear himſelf to us. He gave us our beings, and when we were fallen from that happineſs to which at firſt we were deſign'd, he was pleas'd to reſtore us to a new capacity of it by ſending his onelyonly Son into the world to die for us. So that if we have any ſenſe of kindneſs we cannot but love him who hath done ſo much to oblige us, and if we love him entirely nothing that he commands will be grievous to us; nay, ſo far from that, that the greateſt pleaſure we are capable of will be to pleaſe him. For nothing is difficult to love. It will make a man deny himſelf and croſs his own inclinations to pleaſure them whom he loves. It is a paſſion of a p. 238ſtrange power where it reigns, and will cauſe a man to ſubmit to thoſe things with delight which in other circumſtances would ſeem grievous to him. Jacob ſerv'd for Rachel ſeven years, and after that ſeven years more; and they ſeemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. Did but the love of God rule in our hearts, and had we as real an affection for him as ſome men have for their friends, there are no ſuch difficulties in Religion but what love would conquer, and the ſevereſt parts of it would become eaſie when they were once undertaken by a willing mind.

V. There is incomparably more trouble in the ways of ſin and vice than in thoſe of Religion and Vertue. Every notorious ſin is naturally attended with ſome inconvenience of harm, or danger, or diſgrace; which the ſinner ſeldom conſiders till the ſin be committed, and then he is in a labyrinth, and in ſeeking the way out of a preſent inconvenience he intangles himſelf in more. He is glad to make uſe of indirect arts, and laborious crafts, to avoid the conſequence of his faults; and many times is fain to cover one ſin with another, and the more he ſtrives to diſentangle himſelf the more is he ſnar'd in the work of his own hands. Into what perplexities did David's ſin bring him? ſuch as p. 239by all his power and arts he could not free himſelf from: He was glad to commit a greater crime to avoid the ſhame of a leſs, and could find no other way to conceal his adultery but by plunging himſelf into the guilt of murther. And thus it is proportionably in all other vices. The ways of ſin are crooked paths, full of windings and turnings; but the way of holineſs and vertue is a high way, Iſa. 35.8.Isa 35:8and lies ſo plain before us that wayfaring men, though fools ſhall not err therein. There needs no skill to keep a mans ſelf true and honeſt, if we will but reſolve to deal juſtly and to ſpeak the truth to our neighbour nothing in the whole world is eaſier: For there is nothing of artifice and reach required to enable a man to ſpeak as he thinks, and to do to others as he would be dealt withal himſelf.

And as the ways of ſin are full of intricacy and perplexities, ſo likewiſe of trouble and diſquiet. There is no man that wilfully commits any ſin but his conſcience ſmites him for it, and his guilty mind is frequently gall'd with the remembrance of it, but the reflection upon honeſt and vertuous actions hath nothing of regret and diſquiet in it. No man's conſcience ever troubled him for not being honeſt, no man's reaſon ever challeng'd him for not being p. 240drunk, no man ever broke his ſleep or was haunted with fears of divine vengeance becauſe he was conſcious to himſelf that he had liv'd ſoberly, and righteouſly, and godly in the world. But with the ungodly it is not ſo. There is no man that is knowingly wicked but he is guilty to himſelf, and there is no man that carries guilt about him but he hath received a ſting into his Soul which makes him reſtleſs, ſo that he can never have any perfect caſe and pleaſure in his mind.

I might have deſcended to particular Inſtances, and have ſhewn how much more troubleſome the practice of every ſin and vice is than the exerciſe of the contrary grace and vertue; but that would be too large a Subject to be brought within the limits of a ſingle diſcourſe.

VI. Let but vertue and vice, a religious and wicked courſe of life be put in equal circumſtances, do but ſuppoſe a man to be as much accuſtom'd and ſnur'd to the one as he has been to the other, and then I doubt not but the advantages of eaſe and pleaſure, will be found to be on the ſide of Religion: and if we do not put the caſe thus we make an unequal compariſon. For there is no man but when he firſt begins a wicked courſe feels a great deal of regret in his mind, the terrours of his conſcience and the fears of p. 241damnation are very troubleſom to him. It is poſſible that by degrees a man may harden his conſcience, and by a long cuſtome of his conſcience, and by a long cuſtome of ſinning may in a great meaſure wear off that tender ſenſe of good and evil which makes ſin ſo uneaſie: But then if in the practice of a holy life a man may by the ſame degrees arrive to far greater peace and tranquillity of mind than ever any wicked man found in a ſinful courſe, if by cuſtome vertue will come to be more pleaſant than ever vice was, then the advantage is plainly on the ſide of Religion. And this is truly the caſe. It is troubleſom at firſt for a man to begin any new courſe, and to do contrary to what he hath been accuſtom'd to; but let a man but habituate himſelf to a religious and vertuous life, and the trouble will go off by degrees and unſpeakable pleaſure ſucceed in the room of it. It is an excellent rule which Pythagoras gave to his Scholars, optimum vitae genus eligito, nam conſuetudo faciet j…cundiſſmum; pitch upon the beſt courſe of life, reſolve always to do that which is moſt reaſonable and vertuous, and cuſtom will ſoon render it the moſt eaſie. There is nothing of difficulty in a good life but what may be conquer'd by cuſtome as well as the difficulties of any other courſe, and when a man is once us'd to it the pleaſure of it will be greater than of any other courſe.

p. 242Let no man then decline or forſake Religion for the pretended difficulties of it, and lay aſide all cares of God's commandments upon this ſuggeſtion that they are impoſſible to be kept. For you ſee they are not only poſſible but eaſie. And thoſe who upon pretence of the trouble and difficulties of Religion abandon themſelves to a wicked courſe of life may eaſily be convinc'd that they take more pains to make themſelves miſerable than would ſerve to bring them to happineſs. There is no man that is a ſervant of ſin, and a ſlave to any baſe luſt, but might if he pleas'd get to Heaven with leſs trouble than he goes to Hell.

So that upon conſideration of the whole matter, there is no reaſon why any man ſhould be deterr'd from a holy and vertuous life for fear of the labour and pains of it. Becauſe every one that is wicked takes more pains in another way, and is more induſtrious onelyonly to a worſe purpoſe. Now he that can travel in deep and foul ways ought not to ſay that he cannot walk in fair. He that ventures to run upon a precipice when every ſtep he takes is with danger of his life and his ſoul, ought not to pretend any thing againſt the plain and ſafe paths of Religion, which will entertain us with pleaſure all along in the way, and crown us with happineſs at the end.